


Falling in Love

by Vic_writes01



Series: Tumblr Prompts - Reddie [9]
Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Beverly Marsh & Richie Tozier Are Best Friends, Eddie Kaspbrak is a Mess, F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Sex, Indie Music, Lesbian Beverly Marsh, M/M, Musician Richie Tozier, Richie Tozier is a Mess, Shotgunning, Skinny Dipping, cigarettes after sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:54:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22108951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vic_writes01/pseuds/Vic_writes01
Summary: Richie has a secret life as a musician (like Hannah Montana), he's the lead singer of a cover band called the 80s Snakes. His best friend and boyfriend, Eddie Kaspbrak, has no idea until Bev takes him to an obscure club, that just so happens to be where Richie plays gigs. Eddie doesn't recognise the voice or the singer until he makes a song out to his boyfriend and the soft intro to Falling in Love by Cigarettes After Sex starts to ring out through the speakers.Ever since that night, Richie helps Eddie complete his rebellion bucket list and plays/sings C.A.S songs to calm his boyfriend down.
Relationships: Beverly Marsh & Original Female Character(s), Beverly Marsh/Original Female Character(s), Eddie Kaspbrak & Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Patricia Blum Uris/Stanley Uris
Series: Tumblr Prompts - Reddie [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1573708
Kudos: 40





	Falling in Love

**Author's Note:**

> An Anon asked me to write a fic of Richie and Eddie listening to 'Cigarettes After Sex' when they found out that I also like the band. I hope I do this justice Anon :)
> 
> *** They are in college in 2019 - legally allowed to drink ***

More often than not, Richie found himself listening to a band. A band that isn't like the others he's listened to. This one's soft, almost calming; their most recent album had Richie on edge. 'Falling in Love' makes him think of Eddie. He wants to tell Eddie, badly, but 6 months feels too soon to be saying the 'L' word. Yet again, he and Eddie had essentially been dating since their days in middle school. According to the other Losers, at least.

The more he thought about it, the more Richie decided to give the score to the band. Wanting to see if it suits them and if they could play it. The only problem is that Richie's voice isn't as soft as the singer's but that doesn't stop him. His deep voice hits the notes perfectly and asks his 3 other bandmates if it's okay to play it as their encore song in 2 Friday's time. 

Those 2 weeks in between, Richie plays the song on repeat. He's careful that his boyfriend, doesn't hear it.

Richie had introduced Eddie to this band a year ago, and the two will stay up late a listen to their music. Letting themselves get lost in the soft tone so that they fall asleep.

Cigarettes After Sex became their go-to band. But 'Heroes' by David Bowie was their song. But Eddie's song for Richie would forever be 'Jailhouse Rock' by Elvis Presley. Richie has always been a party goer and would often get himself into trouble. It was the only song he ever willingly listened to by Elvis Presley as his mother was a huge fan, always playing it. 

Richie, on the other hand, loves 'Eddie My Love' by the Chordettes for obvious reasons.

*

Richie Tozier has a secret life outside of college. Every Friday night, at a small edgy club, Richie is pouring his heart out on stage. As his friends don't like his taste in music, they don't go to this sort of club. Especially Eddie. Richie often finds that the club ends up smelling more like bio, cigarettes and weed.

It concerns Richie that there aren't stricter rules around smokers. He sees so many people smoking weed & cigarettes or vaping, and the owner does nothing about.

On one particular night, Richie declines a drinking night with Bev and Eddie, claiming that he has some unfinished assignments. Little to his knowledge, Bev wanted to take Eddie somewhere a little more interesting. The redhead is notorious for taking people to hidden bars. So Eddie isn't surprised when she said she wants to take him to an Indie club. They aren't massive fans of that genre of music but the band that plays every Friday night is said to be amazing. 

Eddie walks up to the bar and orders Bev a vodka and pineapple juice and himself, scotch and coke. He is quick to find Bev sitting at a table near the stage; hidden in the shadows. "They're coming on stage soon," Bev yells. "What's this?"

"Vodka and pineapple," Eddie replies yelling over the loud music. 

The band finally step out on stage. The vocalist walks on stage and Eddie swears he knows him. The drums start-up and the electric guitar strums. Eddie tries to figure out if he knows the vocalist, but the vocals are masked by the crowd's screaming. The words are slurred together Eddie could barely tell what song it was. But realises that it's _Kryptonite_ by 3 Doors Down, once the chorus starts.

The band's predominately a cover band, and most of their setlists are the same for every Friday; except tonight.

The lead guitarist grabs the mic, "Tonight we have something special for you all!" She screams. "We have been rehearsing a new setlist of some old throwbacks for everyone tonight!" The crowd cheers. "Anyone ready to jam to All-Star?!" 

Bev's immediately on her feet, screaming at the top of her lungs.

_I'm too sober for this shit_ , Eddie thinks but joins her nonetheless.

> _Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me_  
>  _I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed_  
>  _She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb_  
>  _In the shape of an "L" on her forehead_

Eddie is screaming all the words, Bev can't believe it. Her eyes widen in disbelief. "Richie and I sing this all the time!" Eddie says, still shaking his hips in time with the music. Beverly only laughs in response and continues to groove to the music.

*

As the night goes on, Eddie starts a document on his phone, for the setlist. Ready to tell Richie all the crazy bangers that the band played.

  1. Kryptonite - 3DD
  2. All-Star - SM
  3. Should I Stay, or Should I Go? - The Clash
  4. Highway to Hell - AC/DC
  5. Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
  6. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
  7. Africa - TOTO
  8. Modern Love - David Bowie
  9. Come on Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners



Bev excuses herself, to the lavatory, after 'Come on Eileen', leaving Eddie holding onto his 4th drink. "This final song goes out to my boyfriend, who couldn't be here tonight," the vocalist says in a southern accent. "Here's Falling in Love by Cigarettes After Sex." 

Eddie doesn't pull out his phone, too caught in the moment, and slightly drunk. "Here, I got you some water," Bev says to Eddie, swapping his glass of gin and tonic with a large glass of water.

Then he hears it. It's soft. The instruments don't hide the vocalist's voice; Richie is exposed.

It couldn't possibly be. No. This man has a southern accent. It sounded too real, to be Richie's.

> _When I hold you close to me_  
>  _I could always see a house by the ocean_  
>  _Last night I could hear the waves_  
>  _As I heard you say, "All that I want is to be yours"_

Eddie stops and gives a horrified look to Beverly. "I think it's Richie!" Eddie yells into her ear. 

"How do you know?!" Bever replies.

"He said that this was his favourite song." Eddie didn't think anything of it, the song choice. The band is what Richie likes to listen to as the couple fall asleep in their shared bedroom in the apartment that the Losers rent. 

Eddie walks closer to the stage.

> _Falling in love_  
>  _Falling in love_  
>  _Deeper than I've felt it before_  
>  _With you, baby_  
>  _I feel I'm falling in love with all my heart_

He spots an empty table just off centre and leans on it and sings the words. Richie doesn't notice his boyfriend standing in front of him. Bev comes up beside him and leans up to his ear, and says, "I didn't know, I promise."

"It's okay," Eddie replies.

The two enjoy the rest of the song and as the final chords are played, "That was for my dear boyfriend, who I love oh so much!" Richie screams. "Goodnight everyone. This has been the 80s SNAKES!" The band walks off stage and Eddie makes a run for the side of the stage.

"Rich?" Eddie screams, stopping the tall musician in his tracks.

"Eds?! OH FUCK!" Richie blurts. "Please tell me that you didn't hear that? Who am I kidding, of course, you did." Eddie giggles and pecks his boyfriend on the lips.

"Go pack up, I'll meet you outside with Bev."

"Bev's here?! OH FUCK FUCK!"

Richie scrambles to get his gear packed while Eddie gabs Bev and pulls her towards the exit.

The two wait out the front for Richie and his bandmates to exit. The hypochondriac starts to feel a little dazed. Unsure of whether or not it's the alcohol or if it's the anger. After all, Richie did tell hundreds of people, that he loved Eddie, before telling Eddie himself.

"Hey Eddie Spaghetti," Richie says ruffling his boyfriend's hair.

"Don't call me that Richard," Eddie warns, it came out harsher than intended.

"What?! What did I do?" Richie asks as he helps his bandmates pack the vehicle.

"Really? Really?" Eddie scoffs. "You told what 300 people that you love me before you told me yourself!" 

"I told you before we started dating. Did you not listen to the mixtape?" Eddie's breath hitches, that was his ... no!

"I - I did, but I thought nothing of it. You've always loved Queen and David Bowie. You knew I was a fan of TOTO." 

Eddie and Richie both grew up on the 50s to the 90s music. They never really listened to the new era stuff, like One Direction, Fall Out Boy etc. They listened to the classics, back when their parents and grandparents grew up. So it didn't surprise anyone when the two communicated through mixtapes and letters. Richie had introduced Eddie to a bunch of underrated songs from all decades.

Richie never used cassettes, like Bev originally had thought, but CDs. And Eddie kept them all. Labelling each with the time, day, year, and the reason why Richie gave it to him. Although, those said mixtapes, were often to get Eddie to broaden his taste in music. 

"Eds, you are so fucking dense! Seriously? Did 'Eddie, My Love', not give it away?!" 

The musician starts to sing the opening verse.

> _Eddie my love, I love you so_  
>  _How I've waited for you you'll never know_  
>  _Please Eddie, don't make me wait to long._

"Oh," Eddie whispers.

"It was the last one for a reason." Richie looks down at the ground and kicks a cigarette butt off the footpath. "When you didn't say anything, I thought that maybe I had misread everything."

"You didn't, I loved you too, I still do. I'm in love with you, but I'm still mad that you told a room full of drunks before me!" Richie laughs nervously and Bev quickly steps in to hug him. "You were fucking amazing! You should sing more often!" Beverly states to the musician.

"For you all to make fun of me, no thanks!" Richie replies. 

"We would never!" Bev says. "Now introduce us to this lovely bunch."

Richie chuckles and introduces the three other people that are packing the drums into the trailer. Danny, his drummer, is a tall bloke with curly purple hair. Naomi, his pianist, is a short woman with a fair few piercings and ombre, purple to pink, hair. Finally, Yolanda, his guitarist, is a gorgeous, curvy, punk chick, that Bev immediately falls in love with. She too has a few piercings and brightly dyed red hair. Needless to say, Beverly was awestruck. 

"Since I was found out, you guys wanna come back to ours?" Richie asks his bandmates.

"Fuck yes!" Yolanda exclaims. "You two want a ride?" Bev and Eddie nod excitedly and follow the band into the van.

**** **** **** 

The 6 of them get out of the van and walk into the apartment. Stan's parents had bought a penthouse flat a few years ago and decided that they could give it to Stan and his friends. The flat has 2 stories, the bottom level has the kitchen, dining and living space, as well as the master suite that Stan shares with his girlfriend Patty Blum. The top-level has the remaining 5 bedrooms and a balcony and an entertainment space with a hot tub. "Guys!" Richie calls out. 

"Where the fucks have you been Trash - " Stan replies and as soon as he enters the living room he's faced with 3 unfamiliar faces. "Who are they, Richie?"

"This is my band," Richie says. "COME ON! BEN, BILL, MIKE, PATTY!"

There's the patter of footsteps coming down the stairs and a blonde-haired woman stumbling from the hallway, with dishevelled hair. "Guys, this is Danny, Yolanda and Naomi," Richie says. "Peeps, these are my friends. You've already met Eddie and Bev." Richie starts to point at the others. "This is Stan and his girlfriend, Patty. And these are Bill and Mike, they're dating." Richie side hugs Ben, "This is Ben."

"Nice to meet you all, Richie has told us all about you," Yolanda says.

"Unfortunately, we haven't been told about you guys," Stan pipes in.

Richie can only look at the floor in guilt and shame. He wanted to keep this facade away from his friends; enjoying the secret life too much. Richie loved being like Hannah Montana, he had a normal life but every Friday night and Wednesday, he was Major, the lead singer of the 80s Snakes.

"Say, Richie, why are we now finding out you're in a band?" Bill asks, every Loser looks to the musician with anticipation.

"Because I thought you'd all make fun of me!" Richie replies. 

*

They all go upstairs to the balcony and talk, and Richie subtly gives Bev a thumbs up as she flirts with Yolanda. It isn't long before Bev's leading Yolanda to her bedroom and all the guys cheer her on. He had always hoped that the two women would meet and get together. Richie often thought that they were the same person but in different clothing.

"Why's Bev the only girl in your group?" Danny asks.

"It's because no girl wanted to be friends with a bunch of Losers," Richie explains. "Bev was one of us, she had a shitty home and was constantly bullied. We let her in with open arms."

"We would've been just as bad as the bullies if we sent her away. So we did what any sane Loser would do, let her in. She didn't care that we were a group of 5 boys then," Bill stated.

*

Bill, Mike, Stan and Patty soon left, heading back to bed. "Your friends are so cool!" Danny says.

"Thanks, man," Richie replies.

"Anyway, is there a place where Naomi and I can crash?" Danny asks.

Naomi and Danny are a heterosexual parallel to Richie and Eddie. The two had grown up together and would have secret sleepovers, frequently. Although they weren't oblivious to their feelings like Richie and Eddie were.

"I'm about to head in, I'll show you where you can stay," Ben says.

That just left Eddie and Richie. Richie nods to the far corner towards the hot tub, Eddie shrugs and follows Richie. The musician strips away all items of clothing and jumps into the body of water.

"Wha - You're skinny dipping?! Do you know how many germs and bacteria are in there?!" Eddie states.

"Live a little, Eds," Richie replies. Eddie can't bring himself to remove his boxers. "Really?"

"Yeah! There are germs and bacteria in here. Do you want to get aids?" Richie laughs and kisses Eddie. It's soft and passionate, making Eddie forget his fear. Eddie's hand snakes up to Richie's soft chocolate curls and lets his fingers knot. It isn't long before Eddie pulls back. "Rich," he breathes. "Baby steps."

"Huh?" Richie asks.

His therapist had created a 'baby step' rule. It was a way to get Eddie to build-up to the things that he wanted to do.

"Isn't that what your therapist says?" Richie asks, but Eddie is already tearing his boxers off. He needs to forget about the 'baby step' rule if he wants to escape his mother. "Jesus, Eds! Warn a guy!"

Eddie ignores Richie and pulls out his phone from his pants' pocket. "I created a list of things that would make my mother crazy."

"I can see two things that we can knock off tonight?" Richie points to 'smoking weed' and 'dancing naked'. "We can shotgun the weed."

"'Shotgun?'"

"I inhale from the joint, then out into your mouth." Eddie nods. Of course, it scares him - getting high - but he trusts Richie. "But first, I'd say we put on Come on Eileen"

"Yes!"

Richie helps Eddie out of the hot tub and the two dance to to 'Come on Eileen'. The music is loud enough for only Richie and Eddie to hear. The two jump around, swinging their hips, letting loose. All the alcohol, that was once in Eddie's system, is no longer there.

*

Once the song finishes, Richie takes Eddie back to their room, where the two of them quickly change into their bedwear. "Still wanna try weed, Eds?" Richie asks. His boyfriend nods his head, and Richie pulls out a ziplock bag from under his bed. "When I inhale, you kiss me, okay?" Eddie simply nods.

Richie lights the joint and takes long slow drag of it and Eddie is on him like wildfire. He parts his lips more, allowing Richie's exhale to enter his lungs.

"Wow," Eddie musters out. He falls back onto the mountain of pillows; completely dazed. "One more time?" Richie laughs and takes another drag of the blunt. 

**** **** ****

The following day Eddie decides that he wants a tattoo. It is the 2nd thing on his list after telling Richie that he liked him. So that afternoon, Richie takes Eddie down to the tattoo parlour.

Eddie had been thinking of this for a while now and decided to get a token of his bravery. He had wanted a not that Richie had written him, in their senior year, that said: "You're braver than you think". Eddie always wanted to get it tattooed on his wrist.

He likes to think of it as a symbol for his forgotten bravery.

"What am I doing for you today, Richie?" Julian, Richie's tattoo artist, asks.

"You're not inking me today, Jul, it's my boyfriend," Richie replies. "This is Eddie."

"Hello, Eddie. I'm Julian, and I promise to take good care of you," the artist says. "What am I doing for you today?"

"This," Eddie replies and unfolds the piece of paper. "I want that tattooed on my wrist."

Richie has no idea what Eddie is showing Julian, only that it seems to some sort of writing. "Richie, can you rewrite this for me. I need it a little smaller."

Julian hands Richie the piece of paper that he wrote for Eddie 3 years ago. The young musician's breath hitches but nods, nonetheless. He takes the pen and writes the words smaller than the original, but it's still in his messy handwriting.

The tattoo artist takes the boys into the back room. Richie sees Eddie tensing up. He searches up, 'Cigarettes After Sex', on the parlour's Spotify and hits play all, knowing that it'll calm his boyfriend down. Eddie immediately gets lost in the music and completely ignores the artist. He doesn't feel the tracing paper going onto his wrist or the artist stretching his skin.

But he does feel the needle entering the dermis layer of his skin. He winces and yelps in surprise and Richie grabs a chair. "Look at me, focus on me and the music," Richie says.

Richie sings along with the song.

> _Each time you have a dream_  
>  _You never know what it means_  
>  _You see that open road and never know which way to go_  
>  _And each time you fall in love_  
>  _It's clearly not enough_  
>  _You sleep all day and drive out in L.A_  
>  _It isn't safe_

Eddie smiles even though the needle is pinching his skin; he ignores it. He listens to Richie's soft deep voice alongside Greg Gonzalez's voice in 'Each Time You Fall in Love'. 

*

"All done," Julian says half an hour later. "Richie should have a lot of cleaning stuff leftover. It should be enough for the healing process. If not, come back and I'll give you some more."

Eddie looks at the tattoo under the clear wrapping. It's perfect not a line out of place. "Thank you so much," Eddie says.

"Not a problem." 

Richie quickly pays for the tattoo and takes Eddie to their next destination; Naomi's. When the band is not rehearsing or playing shows, Naomi works as a beautician. She runs a small successful business in her garage at her mom's home.

*

"Ready to dye your hair?" Richie asks.

"Richie? I didn't agree to this," Eddie says. 

Richie feels as though he's gotten a fist to the stomach. Has he overstepped his boundary?

"Shit! I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's okay. Maybe I just needed a bit of a push, besides. It's not harmful. I'm not putting a hole in my body or inking my skin." Richie sighs in relief.

He pulls up in the driveway of Naomi's mom's home and opens the door for Eddie. Richie leads him up the driveway towards the garage, "Richard!" Naomi squeals and hugs her bandmate. "Ready to dye your hair, Eddie?"

"Yeah, I guess."

She pulls Eddie over to a chair and starts mixing up the hair dyes. "Want me to cut your hair as well Eddie?" 

"Yes, please. I'm starting to get split ends."

Naomi has a demo CD playing, it's the same one that Richie gave him a few months ago, except there's an extra track. It goes from a cover version of 'Modern Love' by David Bowie to an original. Not to the cover of 'Dancing in the Dark' by Bruce Springsteen. But before he could even hear the words Richie stops the CD and puts in a Queen CD. 

What is that track about that Richie didn't want Eddie to hear?

Guess he'll only know when they've done a studio recording, and selling records around the world.


End file.
